Your rights

There is legislation to protect blind and partially sighted people from unfair treatment. Know your rights and what to do if you feel you have been treated unfairly.

If you are blind or partially sighted, it is important you know your rights and if you are being discriminated against. The following pages have information on what help and level of customer service you can expect to receive from everyday services, your local community care team and at work. We also have information on the legislation in place to help you recognise and challenge different types of discrimination.

The Equality Act 2010 is designed to protect you from unfair treatment and to create a more equal society. The Act brings together a range of anti-discrimination laws that have been passed over the last 40 years to make it easier for you to understand your rights and challenge discrimination.

Help from your local authority's social services team, often called social care or community care, can help you to continue to lead an independent life. Find out more about the type of help you can get from social services.

If you are blind or partially sighted, the Equality Act protects you from different kinds of discrimination while at work. As long as you meet the Equality Act's definition of a disabled person, then you fall under one of the Equality Act’s nine “protected characteristics”.

Receiving great customer service, whether when travelling, out shopping, or banking, can make a big difference to your confidence and independence. Find out more about your customer rights as a person with sight loss.